Un Bel Dei
by beanielova
Summary: Lieutenant Sasuke Uchiha of the US Navy arrives in the small Japanese village of Nagasaki. Little does he know that a young boy there is about to change his life. An age old story of love and tragedy, retold as SasuNaru.Madame/Madama Butterfly. More insid
1. Prologue

**-(SYNOPSIS)-**

_Warning: Character Death. Naruto, along with the rest of the small village of Nagasaki, has long awaited the arrival of the foreign ship, USS Abraham Lincoln. What he doesn't realise is that he is about to fall desperately in love with the Lieutenant Sasuke Uchiha, despite his family and religion's strict beliefs on homosexuality. Naruto, however, is not one to question his heart. Madame Butterfly told as a SasuNaru._

_Un Bel Dei_

**-(Prologue)-**

-

_This is a story about a beautiful young boy named Naruto Uzumaki. His story is one of tragic love, his undying heart leading to his demise. _

_This tale is not written as angst, nor is it written for the glorious tale of two inseparable lovers. _

_This is a story about one boy's innocence corrupted, a pure love, as fragile as a butterfly._

_Madama Butterfly._

-

**-(WARNINGS)-**

-

_- Yaoi, SasuNaru_

_- Character Death_

_- OOC_

_- M-Preg (1)_

_(1) Sadly, even though I'm not 'into' it per say, it is necessary for the story. _

-

**-(Other)-**

**-**

_This tale is a rewrite of Giacomo Puccini's opera, Madama Butterfly._

_I do not own any of the lyrics, translations or general plotline of the opera. Nor do I own Naruto and its characters. I usually don't bother with the disclaimers, but this time I took translated sections of the opera direct from a website. _

_Please don't look down on this as a petty angsty fic. This is truly a beautiful tale which I hope I can do justice by rewriting. The music and plotline honestly make me cry every time I see it. Thank you in advance._

-

_It consists of three acts, similar to the opera. Separated into four parts, four parts and then three. _

_The title comes from the main Aria of the opera, translated roughly into "One Fine Day". _


	2. Act One, Part One

_Un Bel Dei_

**-(Act One, Part One)-**

Ed è bella  
la sposa?

Una ghirlanda  
di fiori freschi. Una stella  
dai raggi d'oro.  
E per nulla: sol cento  
yen.

-

Is the bride very  
pretty?

Fair as a garland  
of fragrant flowers. Brighter than a  
star in the heavens.  
And for nothing: one hundred  
yen!

-

"Hey, Naruto."

How beautiful the harbour side looked today. The water was sparkling, its reflective aquamarine surface almost completely smooth, barely tainted by the faint wakes of the pulsating shoreline. A lazy prod to his side tore him from his thoughts.

Naruto turned to face the boy, who he had been deep in conversation with moments before his mind trailed off and out the window.

"Yes, Shikamaru?"

The boy sighed and muttered, "troublesome."

Naruto smiled sweetly. "Have you noticed?"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. Naruto grinned and pointed down at the harbour side, to which Shikamaru diverted his attention towards. The other eyebrow raised itself.

"Isn't it an odd sight for little Nagasaki?" Naruto asked, his head propped up with a half-closed palm. "I've never seen a ship that big in my life."

Shikamaru nodded once slowly, turning back to the boy in front of him. "You _weren't_ listening to a word I said."

"Hn?" Naruto turned back to him and smiled his twinkling smile again.

"Ah, so troublesome."

It was true, though. This was the first time Naruto could remember seeing a ship like that. It was huge, built with dedicated craftsmanship. The huge white sails were perfect, and they fluttered in the wind as if there was nothing to it. A proud American flag flapped defiantly in the gusty harbour breezes. Emblazoned in gold on the side of the bow read 'USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN' in staunch, bold letters. The waves lapped quietly around the hull, surrendered into docility by its fierceness.

"It's an amazing ship," Shikamaru tried to get Naruto's attention back to his previous conversation, immediately failing as Naruto's gaze remained impertinently out the window.

"Naruto, listen to me," the boy said, lazily grabbing his cheeks and turning him so their noses were almost touching.

The blonde boy blinked a few times and smiled at him, "what is it, Shika?"

"Gah," he said, releasing his hold on Naruto's face.

"Something even more amazing than the ship has recently come into Nagasaki, Naruto."

Naruto's smile faltered ever so slightly into a look of awe. "Even more amazing than the ship?"

Shikamaru's lips twitched upwards. _Finally_. He nodded curtly.

Naruto's cheeky grin flew across his face, "what's more amazing than the ship, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru's slight smile grew a little. "The people _on_ the ship, of course."

-

Fighting through the crowds, Shikamaru and Naruto tried to get a decent view of the foreign visitors which had stopped in the small town of Nagasaki. It interested Naruto to no end to see these people. He heard they looked totally different. Alien, even.

But it seemed that everybody had heard about the visitor's arrival. Naruto cursed himself, wishing he had tried to get a better view of the newcomers before.

"Ah, watch your elbows!" Naruto blurted out at a short man, who was ploughing through the crowds with his stocky brute force. "How rude…"

"Crowds are so troublesome…"

Naruto rolled his eyes, before running headfirst into somebody else. He scrambled up from the floor and tried to mutter an apology.

"I'm sorry… I was looking that way and…"

But Naruto stopped, dumbstruck.

"No, no, sorry Miss… it's quite my fault…"

"Heh," Shikamaru butt in, "he's a guy."

The man turned to Shikamaru with a disbelieving look, then back to Naruto.

He was tall and handsome. Dark hair floated around his eyes, which sparkled like the cool Nagasaki seaside. His hair was fashioned into a style which was foreign to Naruto, and his clothes were very different to that of any Naruto had ever seen.

The man bowed deeply, a gracious smile dancing across his perfect lips.

"I am Lieutenant Sasuke Uchiha of the US Navy," he returned to his upright position. "Who may you be?"

Naruto's mind and mouth refused to co-operate.

"I- I- I- I-…"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "He's Naruto Uzumaki."

Sasuke acknowledged it with a brief nod.

"Hatake!" Sasuke yelled.

A silver haired man wearing a similar, but not as elaborate uniform appeared behind him. "Yes, Sir."

"See to it that this evening is reserved for Mr Uzumaki here."

The man's brow creased, "but Sir, I.."

Sasuke turned on the man, "thank you, Kakashi, that will be all."

The tall lieutenant marched off, leaving this new man in his stead.

"Hello," the man bowed, "I am US Consul Kakashi Hatake."

Naruto stood rapt. Shikamaru sighed and took over for Naruto's inability to talk.

It was a while before Naruto's senses could be brought back around.

"Naruto!!" Shikamaru clicked his fingers loudly before his eyes, breaking the stupor he had found himself in. The crowds had cleared away and it was merely he and Shikamaru left standing on the hard-pressed dirt road.

"Shikamaru…?"

"Naruto, you dumbass. Here…" he thrust a note with neatly scrawled details.

"What is it?" Naruto said, still half-dazed.

"Well," Shikamaru said idly, "from a genius's point of view, I'd say it would be a date."

-

Naruto had spent hours getting dressed. He didn't know how, or why, but it seemed that he had fallen in love at first sight with this Lieutenant Uchiha.

So of course, first appearances were crucial. But what to _wear_?

"I don't think he'd really mind what you wear," Ino Yamanaka, his lifelong friend and maid, quipped.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at her, "of course it matters, Ino! First impressions can last a lifetime, you know!!"

Eventually, he _did_ find something to wear, and was shipped promptly outside by his friend.

"Now move it!" Ino ordered, a kind smile on her face. Naruto's heart warmed for her. She was truly his very best friend. "And don't come back until you've won that Uchiha guy over!"

"Thanks, Ino," Naruto grinned and waved his goodbye, rushing for the place Kakashi had written on the paper. He was already five minutes late.

-

"Hatake!" Sasuke hollered from his private room. The stealthy man appeared quickly.

"Where is he, Kakashi? Is this not the time you gave him?" he asked.

Kakashi frowned slightly. "Yes, Sir. However, Mr Uzumaki was free to come here of his own accord. It is very likely that he won't come at all, Sir."

"No." Sasuke said bluntly.

Kakashi's frown deepened. "No, Sir?"

"He'll come. He was speechless, didn't you see? I took his breath away," he paused, but for a moment, "… and he mine."

Kakashi sighed. "Perhaps this isn't the wisest of plans, Sir."

Rapping was heard from the somewhere down the front of the house, echoing along the empty walls. Sasuke smiled.

"I believe your guest has arrived, Sir," Kakashi said with a bow, leaving the room.

Sasuke leaned his chair backwards, a steady thumb pressed to his lips.

-

Naruto had been shocked at the sight of the large mansion perched high on a hill overlooking the town. It had perfect views in all directions, and although it was night, he could clearly see the harbour he so adored. It even sparkled in the moonlight.

He was bathed in light as the door before him opened. A butler with worn eyes and thinning hair answered the door, bowing deeply before taking the outer shells of Naruto's clothing. It wasn't long before the man who had previously introduced himself as Kakashi greeted him in the hall.

"Lieutenant Uchiha has been looking forward to this evening with much fascination," Kakashi said, eyes unwavering from the path ahead.

"So have I," Naruto blurted out, a slight blush tainting his cheeks after realizing the weight of what he said. Kakashi looked at the boy with soft but calculating eyes.

"I see," was all he said, before ushering him into a dimly lit dining hall.

A waiter showed him to a seat. Naruto had never seen so many different types of cutlery in his life.

"Sir Uchiha will be with you shortly," the waiter bowed.

Naruto stared around the room in awe. Deep crimson curtains and elaborate Western artworks adorned the walls in heavy, worn gold frames. A delicate chandelier hung brilliantly from the ceiling, its intricate crystals cascading downwards. The long table was set for at least twelve people, but plates sat in front of only two of the far chairs, which were, in themselves, masterpieces.

He picked up one of the silver forks which surrounded his plate, feeling a little confused and nervous as to which one he would use for what. He was so used to using chopsticks. Would Sasuke be offended if he couldn't use the right one? He held the instrument closer to his face, examining its detail.

"It's a fork."

The voice came so suddenly that Naruto jumped. He had been paying so much attention to the utensil that he hadn't notice Sasuke come in at all.

"I- I know," Naruto managed to get out.

Sasuke smiled and took his seat opposite Naruto.

"So, tell me about yourself, Naruto."

Naruto smiled sweetly. "There's not much to tell, really."

"Of course there is," Sasuke said. "Tell me about your life. Your family."

"Well," Naruto said, hoping his conversational skills were polite enough for the Lieutenant, "my mother lives not to far from here. She's a very nice woman, writes to me quite often."

Sasuke nodded, "and your father?"

Naruto's face fell ever so slightly, "he's dead."

Sasuke immediately realized this mistake and managed an, "ah."

"He died before I was born, so no loss," Naruto smiled.

Sasuke tried to return the warm expression. What a beautiful young boy this was, he was lucky to have stumbled upon him, to have his heart taken away. Even luckier still, to take the boy's heart back.

"Enough chatter," he said, "bring in the food."

Waiter's flooded in from the furthest doors, bringing a plethora of amazing foods Naruto had never laid eyes on before. He ate hungrily. It had been a while since he had tasted something so good.

"This is tasty," Naruto said, forgetting to swallow before speaking. Sasuke just smiled.

"Only the finest chefs the US Navy has to offer," Sasuke jibed.

Naruto grinned. Tonight had to be one of the best nights of his life.

-

The meal had them stuffed to the brim, neither could fit another morsel into their mouths, and every bite had been delicious.

Sasuke had ordered the waiters away with brief thanks, and offered to take Naruto to see the best view from the house. Naruto could only but agree with delight, loving the breathtaking views of his little village.

So here they came to sit, high up on a terrace overlooking not only the quiet slumbering town, but the neighbouring plains and forests. It was so totally overwhelming. Naruto stood with his mouth open, until his legs decided they would stop working, forcing him to sit down on the marble bench conveniently behind him.

"Sasuke…" Naruto could almost feel tears coming to his eyes. "It's so beautiful."

Sasuke sat down next to him.

"Not as beautiful as you."

Naruto turned towards him, unsure of what he just heard.

"A- A-…" Naruto tried, but no words came out. Sasuke put a gentle finger on his lips.

"Naruto Uzumaki," he said softly, leaning forward a little, "I think I've fallen in love with you."

Naruto chuckled awkwardly, blushing from the close proximity, but not denying that he was enjoying every minute of it, he leant into Sasuke, closing off the short distance and pressing his mouth against those gorgeous lips, which were all too happy to receive.

Nothing could be more perfect than this moment.

Naruto was in love.


	3. Act One, Part Two

_Un Bel Dei_

**-(Act One, Part Two)-**

Amore o grillo,  
dir non saprei. Certo costei  
m'ha coll'ingenue arti invescato.

-

Is't love or fancy,  
I cannot tell you. All that I know is  
she, with her innocent charm, has entranc'd me.

-

Sasuke sat upright in his bed, the large wooden canopy shadowing his face, making his facial expression hollow. A delicate book was pressed in his hands, it's worn cover a dull and dusty red. The pages made quiet sounds as he turned, reading the words with little interest.

_Knock. Knock._

Sasuke looked up slowly, removing the glasses which sat perched on the end of his nose, and setting them atop the book beside the bed.

"Come in."

Kakashi peered his often cheery face around the corner of the door. "Evening, Sir."

"I'm not in the mood for such trivialities, Kakashi."

Kakashi smiled at him, Sasuke raised his lip, slightly. It always annoyed Sasuke that this man, despite being not a servant or a butler but a _Consul_, had always addressed him as 'Sir'. Eventually, he wrote it off as a force of habit, and accepted the formal introduction.

"Did you enjoy your evening, Sir?"

Sasuke sighed and tilted his head, wondering why on earth Kakashi would be asking him such pointless questions.

"Yes, thank you, Kakashi."

Kakashi smiled again. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Are you telling me, Kakashi Hatake, that all you came for was to find out how my evening was?"

Kakashi's smile faded, his eyes focusing on the younger man. "No, Sir."

Sasuke's eyebrow lowered. He shut his eyes.

"What then."

Kakashi walked fully inside the room and shut the door behind him.

"How do you feel about that boy?"

Sasuke's gaze fell heavy and indignant. "Why does it concern you?"

Kakashi responded with an equally weighted stare.

Sasuke picked up his glasses and book and continued reading, "surely Naruto knows that relationships of this… _caliber_… are totally unbinding."

Sasuke's book fell from his fingers as Kakashi grabbed him by the shoulders, glaring at him in the eyes.

"He _trusts_ you."

Sasuke slapped his hands away, effectively pushing Kakashi hard towards the floor.

"I _love_ that boy," Sasuke said, panting lightly from exertion and anger.

Kakashi shook his head slightly.

"Sir," he said, standing up and giving a brief bow, "I wish you a good night."

Sasuke's gaze remained icy. "Likewise."

-

Naruto had been running for quite a while now.

The sky was a deep, cataclysmic blue, and the stars were shining divine beacons, a perfect view of the Milky Way.

Naruto skipped down cobble-stone streets, his feet pitter-pattering almost noiselessly through cloth-shoes. By the time he had gotten into his end of town, the cobbles had disappeared, and damp earth was all that remained.

He stopped outside his door, panting heavily and smiling both inside and out. He turned and let his back slide down the wood door, splinters snagging uselessly against his clothes. His grin was dancing, and his eyes warm and excited.

He squeezed his eyes shut and hugged himself tightly, unable to contain himself any longer. Everything felt so magical tonight. It was so amazingly perfect.

Suddenly he fell backwards, the support of the door being pulled away. He tumbled onto his back and found himself staring up at a smiley, cheery face.

He found himself grinning back at it.

"How'd it go?" Ino asked.

Naruto chuckled, Ino's cheeky grin grew a little more. She offered a hand out to him, which he took.

"Nice work."

Nodding, Naruto accepted the high-five she so graciously offered.

"So, what'd you do?"

Naruto started explaining to Ino with over-exaggerated hand gestures and frequent clutches to his chest. After telling her about the size of the mansion, his issues with the cutlery, and how romantic the views were, he finally got up to the important part.

"… and then?!" Ino asked, who was sitting down, her mouth in a little o-shape and nodding, listening intently.

Naruto had a faint blush dancing across his cheeks. Ino squealed, getting up and dancing a small jig on behalf of Naruto, aiming kissie-kissie faces at his lips.

"Ahh… Ino!!" Naruto said, swatting at her and blushing a little deeper.

She giggled. He just smiled and looked at the floor.

"It's so magical Ino…" he said, eyes retreating to their soft warm glow again.

She stopped dancing and tilted her head, her smile slowing.

"Naruto," she asked, putting a hand on his shoulder, "you really like this guy, don't you?"

Naruto looked up, his grin growing. "You bet, Ino. I've never felt this way about anybody before, _ever_."

Ino moved her gaze to the opposite wall.

What could she say to him? If Naruto really felt this way his heart could be sorely broken. She shook the thought and looked back at the blonde.

"That's really neat, Naruto."

He nodded, his lips curving up softly.

What else could she do but smile back?

-

A whole week had gone by.

For Naruto, it had been a week of pure bliss. Sasuke had spent almost the entirety of his time with the blonde boy, taking short scheduled breaks with the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln for check ups.

Naruto had shown Sasuke around the village, showing him where the best views of the harbour side were, and the places that only a native could find. Sasuke didn't seem to mind where they went, in the end, as long as it was with Naruto.

They had shared several kisses and special moments, last night being the most intimate yet. Even though it had only been a deep kiss, the feel and passion that had come with it was foreign to Naruto, regardless that he enjoyed every precious second of it.

Now, as Naruto had stolen Sasuke away to one of his favourite places on the outskirts of the town, they sat, surrounded by the greenest of grass. The lush trees around them sheltered from the sea-side winds, but weren't dense as to let a gentle warm breeze through.

The air was sweet, cicada's hummed.

Fireflies drifted playfully in the drafts that fell off the ocean, their glows iridescent and peaceful.

Here they sat. The pair, lost in the night's tranquil beauty, and lost in one another's eyes.

"Naruto," Sasuke said, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Yeah..?"

"What happened to your father?"

Sasuke wasn't totally sure if this question was off-limits or not. He paused when he saw Naruto's delicate smile fade, regretting his choice.

"Ah, sorry, I.."

"No… it's natural to be curious," Naruto said, climbing onto his lap. He had gotten a lot more confident about them. Sasuke wrapped his arms around his waist, while Naruto leaned back, resting his head on his shoulder.

"He died a disgraced samurai…" Naruto started. Sasuke's face pulled into an expression which told Naruto he didn't understand.

"'To die with honour, when one can no longer live with honour', that's what it said," Naruto said, voice small.

"I don't understand…" Sasuke started, but was interrupted with stunning azure eyes.

Naruto pressed his lips shakily to Sasuke's, who readily accepted and then furthered the kiss. Their tongue's collided in an almost kamikaze like fashion, wildfire passion coursing deep within their very souls.

It was like becoming one entity. One whole.

Eventually their shifting led Naruto to turn around slowly from his sitting position. Sasuke lowered himself and took Naruto with him, effectively having them lying on top of one another, Naruto straddling Sasuke.

Despite their immediate top-bottom positions, it was still Sasuke who held all the dominance. Naruto was desperately trying to hold back the grinds his hips were instinctively thrusting towards Sasuke, who had steady hands placed either side of the boy, holding him back and denying him that little pleasure.

As if Sasuke had realized at that moment his efforts were futile, he brought the boy down hard upon himself, gyrating rough and slow into the other. An audible moan escaped Naruto's sweet lips, and tumbled into Sasuke's smiling mouth.

"Naruto…?"

The scramble was brief, Naruto pushed himself off and up from Sasuke, falling hard on the grass beside him. Paled blue eyes stared up at the intruder frightfully.

"… U-.. Uncle!!" Naruto stammered.

The man was tall and had confused anger masquerading all over his face. Naruto attempted to struggle up, but was sent squarely to the ground with a harsh slap to the face.

"What are you doing?" the man raged.

"I- This is- I mean- …" Naruto's eyes were tearing up.

"Don't make me repeat myself boy," he said, grabbing Naruto by the throat and hoisting him up in the air, holding him high. Naruto choked, tears flowing down his cheeks. His face started to turn red.

"This is… my boy… my boyfriend…" he managed to wheeze out.

The man roared and threw the blonde to the ground like a rag doll. Advancing on him, he pulled back his fist to strike again, just as Sasuke intervened between the two.

"Stand down," Sasuke ordered.

Recognising the uniform immediately, the man stepped back, but stood his ground.

"What are you doing with my nephew?" he asked, angrily.

Sasuke stared at him coldly. "Everything you think I am."

The man turned his focus towards Naruto, "is this true, boy?"

Naruto stood up, flustered and angry, "yes, Uncle."

The uncle huffed a sour breath out his nostrils like an angry bull, before marching back towards the village. Just before he was out of sight, he yelled, "you can forget the Uzumaki name, Naruto."

The blonde stood, watching his relative disappear away in to the distant night. His legs felt weak, and refused to support him any longer. He sank to the ground and cried in heaving sobs.

"Naruto..." Sasuke cooed gently, a gentle hand resting on his weeping shoulders.

"Don't feel bad," Naruto said, looking up with a smile that shocked Sasuke. "These are tears of joy. If I can't have the Uzumaki name, then I shall just take the Uchiha one, if you'll let me."

Sasuke smiled down at him. "You can."

Naruto flung his arms round Sasuke's shoulders. The raven embraced him tightly, placing a tender kiss on his neck.

"Thank you, Sasuke Uchiha."


	4. Act One, Part Three

_Un Bel Dei_

**-(Act One, Part Three)-**

Butterfly rinnegata...  
Rinnegata... e felice.

Bimba dagli occhi pieni di malìa  
ora sei tutta mia.

-

Butterfly they've renounced her,  
They've renounced her, still she's happy.

Child, from whose eyes the witchery is shining,  
now you are all my own.

-

Naruto had cried a little longer, huddled up in Sasuke's warm arms. The tears were gentle, slowing. It was hard to be upset on such a beautiful night, and with such a beautiful person. Naruto discovered solace in the secure embrace, and found himself drifting off to sleep every now and then, still sobbing quietly.

The night sheltered him from distress, the music of the shadows waltzing around him in comfortable silence. The insect chorus, gentle lapping of the distant shore and slight rustle of whispering trees all harmonizing gently.

Sasuke touched Naruto's soft cheeks in affectionate gesture, patting them tenderly with loving fingers. Naruto's eyes fluttered open, and he smiled genuinely up at the man.

"It's nice…" he began.

Sasuke kissed him chastely on the lips, "what's nice?"

Naruto kissed him back, "waking to see you."

With that, Naruto leaned up to claim Sasuke's mouth. Sasuke pressed his fingers flat against Naruto's jaw, tilting his head for a better angle, pressing his firm tongue past liquid lips.

Naruto tried to sit up more, the physical sensations overriding anything else he could have possibly been feeling. He pressed into Sasuke, who pushed him back down onto the grass. Hovering above him, Sasuke pressed a toned thigh between his legs, forcing Naruto to break the kiss and tilt his head upwards in a pleasured moan.

Fingernails dug into dirt as screaming vibrations shuddered through Naruto's body. The grass came up hesitantly into his hands, damp earth smearing across his skin. He brought a hand to Sasuke's face, pressing the soil across his face as neither of them really cared, both clutching one another and kissing fiercely as if their very lives depended on it.

Sasuke slid his tongue out of Naruto's mouth and let his lips linger, both of them panting heavily, sweat drops glistening provocatively. He looked down at Naruto longingly. The boy's skin was bathed in moonlight, shining a beautiful spark, one that he desired so very badly himself. He chuckled inwardly at the thought, considering he had just achieved it.

"What's so funny?" Naruto asked, smiling all the same.

"Nothing," Sasuke replied, kissing him once innocently on the lips, then trailed more devious bites down his jaw to his collarbone, sucking and nipping at oh-so sensitive flesh.

"Naruto…" he murmured into his neck, hot breath falling on his skin.

"Yes… Sasuke…?" Naruto said, not of the moment to be talking, more lost in the distracting feelings of lips-on-flesh contact.

"There's something, I have to tell you…"

Naruto's eyes flew open a little wider. He knew this had been coming. After all, a Lieutenant can't possibly dwell in one town too long.

"The USS Abraham Lincoln is setting sail tomorrow morning."

Naruto sat up, pushing Sasuke up to sit with him, a sweet hand on his chest.

"I thought you might," he whispered, leaning in so that his lips were pressed endearingly to his ear. Sasuke placed his hands on the blonde's waist, letting his fingers slip under his shirt to caress the soft skin underneath.

"Sasuke…" he whispered, even softer than before, "I want to give myself to you tonight."

Sasuke smiled at the pure words. Resisting taking the blonde right there and then, he stood up stiffly, offering a hand to the boy, who took it.

They embraced, the wind ruffling their clothes and hair with the buzz of the summer night musical on their ears.

Another perfect moment, each more delicate and memorable than the last.

"Sasuke Uchiha," Naruto sighed, leaning into him, "I love you."

Sasuke lifted his chin up so their lips could meet, it was melodious.

And so they were.

-

The streets were deserted. Naruto and Sasuke could have gone the entire way through the town singing and dancing and have remained undisturbed.

Instead they took advantage of the empty village in another fashion. Rarely breaking lips, often collapsing upon one another when a free wall became available, the passion undying, despite their constant movement.

One wall had almost become the point of contact for the men, Sasuke had Naruto under total submission, legs wrapped around his waist and begging for more as he licked at his neck, purring contentedly.

Naruto had been whimpering utterings of 'ah… Sasuke…' in his ears, which was just urging him on further.

He wasn't even hindered in his efforts when he snaked his fingers past the hem of Naruto's pants, fingering the appendage beneath. Naruto had gasped and shuddered violently, totally under Sasuke's power, groaning for more.

Sasuke had almost given it to him, before a clash between two stray cats brought them to their senses, and they hurried on to Sasuke's abode on top of the hill.

The doorknob was the first true hindrance to the fervour that night. Stopping as Sasuke quickly knocked on the door one-handed, the other hand interlaced with Naruto's.

Kakashi had answered the door, instructed to wait for him that night. Vigilant, Kakashi had set aside his personal time to wait near the door for the lieutenant's arrival.

He was quickly pushed past and discarded with a gruff thanks. Kakashi nodded and withdrew to his room.

By the time Sasuke had reached the master bedroom, the atmosphere was starting to return to normal.

"Naruto…"

The boy looked up at him with those stunning eyes.

"I'm going to take a shower…" with a distressed look from Naruto he furthered, "at this rate, it won't last five minutes."

Naruto nodded gingerly, kissed him quickly, and let him depart into the attached bathroom.

He sat on the deep-crimson sheets, they were soft, and felt nice underneath his tired body. He repressed a yawn as his body's time clock ticked over, falling heavily into the comfy blankets.

Snuggling lower into the sheets, his eyelids began to glue themselves shut.

His last waking thought being of Sasuke, how wonderful everything was.

How perfect _he_ was.


	5. Act One, Part Four

Un Bel Dei

_Un Bel Dei_

**-(Act One, Part Four)-**

Dicon ch'oltre mare  
se cade in man dell'uom,  
ogni farfarla  
da uno spillo è trafitta  
ed in tavola infitta!..

Un po' di vero c'è.  
E tu lo sai perchè?  
Perchè non fugga più.  
Io t'ho ghermita...  
Ti serro palpitante.  
Sei mia.

Sì, per la vita.

-

They say that in your country  
If a butterfly  
is caught by man,  
He'll pierce its heart with a needle  
And then leave it to perish!

Some truth there is in that,  
And can you tell me why?  
That you may not escape.  
See, I have caught you...  
I hold you as you flutter.  
Be mine.

Yes, yours forever.

-

Naruto was awakened by a gentle palm on his side. The fingers stealthily snuck up over his waist, trailing over delicate abdomen and resting light fingers across his chest.

His eyes fluttered open as his senses brought him to life, the tingling sensations numbed by the sleep. Sluggishly shifting to face the marauder of his dreamless sleep, he found Sasuke pressed against him, smelling clean from the shower, and skin silky soft.

The tips of his hair were still wet, dropping drips down his neck. Naruto leaned forward and lapped up the closest wet trail slowly.

"Mnn…" Sasuke sighed. Naruto smiled.

He was wearing nothing but a puffy navy-blue towel, and Naruto could already see the effects his tongue had on the other man.

"Naruto…" Sasuke murmured huffily, before claiming his mouth with his own, pushing his tongue past delicious lips.

Their hands began roaming, up and down the other's sides. At first languid movements, but soon they were moving about in a flurry of cyclone-forced passion. It didn't take long before the outer shells of Naruto's clothing were discarded around them, thrown away in the gale.

Sasuke broke the deep, heated kiss he was locked in to look at the little cherub that lay warm beneath him. His skin glistened with whorls of sweat. He lifted an arm up to pull Sasuke back down to him, his eyes filled with pure want, _need_.

Sasuke complied to the request, closing the chilled gap once more.

Naruto was moaning into the strong but tender kisses. The moans turned into long, deep groans of ecstasy when Sasuke brought his hips down on Naruto's near naked body and ground him hard into the bed.

"Ah, Sasuke..!" Naruto panted into his ear, as the grinding grew harder.

Sasuke hadn't even removed his towel completely, although it was close to falling off.

The bed creaked in time to his thrusts as Sasuke pushed his tongue deeper into Naruto's mouth, searching every corner of the delicious cavern.

Sasuke felt the drugs of physical sensations well up tight in his stomach.

_Shit._

It was going too fast. At this rate…

Sasuke slowed the grinding down, Naruto whimpered as he felt Sasuke pull off him. It was suddenly very cold.

"God, Sasuke… please," Naruto begged.

It had gotten dark, and Naruto was unable to see where Sasuke had disappeared to, relying on the fringes of silhouettes which were tumbling in the darkness.

Suddenly, Naruto felt slender fingers slide down the last of his offending clothing. Naruto gave a sharp intake of breath as his manhood was taken in by what only could have been Sasuke's mouth.

It only took one, single heady swallow before Naruto's gasp turned into a scream, coming fast and hard, hands pushing Sasuke roughly into himself with fingers wrapped through his hair.

He was still panting breathlessly when he felt Sasuke come up and take his mouth again. He felt Sasuke roll him onto his side, handling him roughly, tired of the wait.

Sasuke, who was spooning Naruto and had since lost his towel, held up one of the blonde's legs in the air. The cold air hit Naruto's parted flesh, causing him to hiss.

That wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as what was to come next.

Without warning, Naruto felt Sasuke push himself hard into his entrance. Naruto yelled out in pain, feeling himself clench up.

"Naruto, please… just relax…" Sasuke grunted.

Naruto fought back the tears as he forced himself to loosen up. As soon as Sasuke felt the opposing pressure disappear, he thrust deep into Naruto and pulled out just as quick, unable to wait any longer.

Naruto couldn't help but cry out from the pain as Sasuke continued pounding into him hard and rough. He thanked the Lord that Sasuke was at least a little lubricated from the precum resulting from his built-up tension.

Soon Naruto's cries dulled, and Sasuke's thrusts were getting deeper and harder.

Naruto fisted the sheets around him into balls. Sasuke's breath was on his ear, and his arm was shaking from holding up his leg.

Naruto forced his leg down, Sasuke quick to place his hand on Naruto's waist instead, getting him better leverage to really push into the other boy.

Sasuke was letting out a low guttural growl every time he thrust, and before Naruto knew what was happening, Sasuke had pushed him head-first into the blanket, forcing his rear up into the air as he pounded faster than Naruto had ever thought humanly possible.

He yelled loudly as Naruto felt him come hard inside him, the warm feeling odd but not entirely unwelcome.

Sasuke collapsed on top of Naruto soon after. He barely registered Naruto's sweet kiss before both of them drifted off to sleep.

-

Naruto awoke to harsh sunlight protesting against his eyes.

The bed was so comfy and warm.

And so was…

Naruto sat up, the room spinning from his ninety-degree change in angle.

The bed sheets next to him were crumpled and messy, but also very empty.

Sasuke had gone.

-

Sasuke had been down at the docks preparing for his ship to disembark.

He didn't mean to leave Naruto all alone in a big empty house. But when he was prodded awake by Kakashi (_who was sporting a cocked eyebrow and a hidden smirk_) he just couldn't bring himself to wake Naruto. He was so beautiful when he slept. Just gazing at him made you think that life was perfect and innocent, just as he was.

So he had left him there, cocooned in the delicate silks. Left him, for he was too angelic to wake.

Sasuke had made haste with the preparations, noting an incoming southerly, and not wanting to get stuck in harsh winds.

Now, as he waved farewell to the little village of Nagasaki, he couldn't help but feel a pang somewhere in his heart.

As he turned for his last final views of the town, his last dying hopes fell clumsily down. He smiled at the cheering villagers, and turned to his ship.

-

"Sasuke!! Wait!!"

Naruto was yelling while waving at the huge boat, as if he was trying to get its attention and not Sasuke's.

He shoved another few people in the side to try to get them to move.

Finally he stumbled out onto the dock, jumping up and down and waving at the ship which was pulling out and into the harbour.

Naruto's heart fell.

The deck looked empty.

Sasuke hadn't even said goodbye.

Naruto slumped to the ground.

"Naruto!!"

The blonde looked up and a smile flew across his face.

He waved gallantly at the dark-eyed man standing proudly on the deck.

"Naruto, the house belongs to you, now," Sasuke yelled into the roaring wind.

"Will you ever return?" Naruto said, disregarding his previous statement.

Sasuke hesitated, his eyes stony and concerned at the same time.

"When the robin makes it's nest," Sasuke finally yelled, the ship pulling out at a different angle, forcing Sasuke out of view.

Naruto smiled weakly, feeling a familiar weight on his shoulder. He turned to face Ino, who's eyes were lost at sea.

"Naruto…" she said softly, her gaze drifting to meet his, "will you be okay?"

A solitary tear fell down his cheek. He smiled genuinely and nodded.


	6. Act Two, Part One

_Un Bel Dei_

**-(Act Two, Part One)-**

Tornerò colle rose  
alla stagion serena  
quando fa la nidiata il pettirosso.

-

I'll return with the roses,  
The warm and sunny season  
When the red-breasted robins are busy nesting.

-

The autumn had been warm, the glorious landscape turning luxurious shades of honey and sunset orange.

The winter was bitter, cold and relentless. The air which was normally a sweet ocean breeze became sharp and chilling to the bone. Storms raged their fury across the sea and nature's wrath attempted itself upon the city, sending the residents into their sheltered homes for most of the winter.

And with a lone hope, Naruto had endured the wait himself. Watching the green leaves turn to royal red, then fall to the hard earth, crisping beneath the sandals of the villagers.

When spring had finally come, Naruto rejoiced. Every day he waited patiently in the house which Sasuke had left him. _Surely, today, he would come_, he would tell himself every morning.

As every evening he would sigh, _tomorrow, for sure_.

-

The reflection was murky and shadowed. The beautiful face harboured long buried desires, set aside for a greater cause. So much had it changed in the past three and a half years. No longer a young boy of sixteen, he had transformed into a handsome, blithe man.

He lifted a dainty hand to touch the surface of the water, and stretched his fingers out to touch his own face reflecting back up at him. It was the faintest of touches, but the water rippled, splitting his picture into circular shards.

Naruto sighed and turned away from the still brook, leaning back on the rocks behind him. The trees were still naked and bare, new green shoots appearing on their weathered branches, but not yet sprouting the leaves.

It was early morning and the sun had yet to climb the sky, sunrise being just an hour or so ago.

Here it was that Naruto sat, on fresh, early-spring grass besides the stream where he had spent his childhood days playing with Ino and his friends.

He was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he had failed to notice that the place was already occupied. The time that had passed was almost an entire hour, but the tenant of the quiet grove had stayed quite stationary, Naruto's unmindful attitude towards him made sure he remained undiscovered.

"Oi."

Naruto twisted so that he was staring dazedly into the trees above him.

"Shikamaru?" Naruto asked, squinting and cocking his head to the side.

Indeed, the laziest boy in town lay against one of the thick lower branches of the tree right above him, hands propped behind his head, a thin piece of dried grass pressed between his lips.

"How long have you been there?" Naruto enquired, smiling up at him.

"Long enough, Naruto," Shikamaru replied, turning his eyes to the sky, sighing, and sliding down from his perch. He landed with a light thud.

"How much longer are you going to do this to yourself, Naruto?"

Naruto's smile turned into a look of concern.

"What do you mean?"

Shikamaru's mouth narrowed, and eyebrows creased.

"You say that like you have no idea…" Shikamaru murmured, scratching the back of his leg with his other foot.

Naruto turned back to the stream and began stroking the water, letting the ebb and flow run over his fingers.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered. He placed a heavy hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Let me set you up with someone…" he whispered into his ear.

Naruto's eyes widened and he slapped Shikamaru's arm square off his shoulder.

"How dare you," Naruto spat at him venomously.

"Hey!" said the brunette, quickly putting his hands up defensively.

Naruto turned to the water, trying to shove the liquid around a little more harshly than before.

Shikamaru sighed loudly and kneeled down next to the pouting blonde.

"Naruto… I know you don't want to hear this, or accept it, but I don't think Sasuke is coming back."

Naruto shot him a dirty look.

"Of course he's coming back. He told me he's coming back. I'll wait for him till he gets here and nothing you can say or do will make me change my mind."

A vein on Shikamaru's temple twitched in annoyance.

"Naruto, I've _seen_ the bills and I-O-U's that are building up at your place. You're broke, and if you don't get over Sasuke and…"

"He'll come back and then he'll take me to America and we'll be happy there!" Naruto was starting to yell now.

"_Listen_, to me Naruto! Sasuke is _not _coming back! He left you here for good because he's a cold. Heartless. Son of a Bitch!"

_Slap!_

Both men stood, panting heavily. Shikamaru's face downwards and slowly turning red from the hard backhand Naruto had just given him.

Naruto's hands flew to his mouth, tears forming in his eyes.

"God, Shika, I'm sorry.. I…"

Shikamaru shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things…"

They stood in awkward silence for a moment longer, before Naruto sat him down and pressed a wet cloth to his swelling cheek.

"Please, Naruto. Consider what I've said. I can set you up with somebody really great and-"

"I have to wait, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru sighed and looked up at the sky.

As if knowing what he would ask next, Naruto finished, "…because I love him."

The lazy boy turned to face him, lazily, of course. He smiled weakly. "Naruto, both you and I know that a strong household is rarely built on love in this time and age."

Naruto turned to him and smiled.

Somewhere behind him, the bushes rustled.

"What was that?!" Shikamaru said, standing at the ready.

Naruto grinned, "just one more reason I have to wait for Sasuke…"

Shikamaru squinted.

"Show yourself," he demanded.

Out of the bushes stepped a small boy, probably only three or four years old. He had a beautiful smile and whiskered cheeks and jet black hair.

But what truly shocked Shikamaru was those eyes… those unmistakable eyes. Cold and dark, as if something shy and deadly lurked beneath them.

He had seen these eyes before.

"That's- … I mean you-…" Shikamaru blubbered before looking at Naruto and pointing at the child.

"That is Sasuke's son," Naruto told him.

"_Naruto_," Shikamaru hissed, glancing back at the boy. He sat down, stunned.

"I don't know how," Shikamaru started, "or what this means…but it doesn't change what I said earlier."

He stole another glimpse at the boy before asking, "does Sasuke know?"

Naruto shook his head sadly. "How could I tell him?"

Shikamaru massaged the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb.

"So troublesome…"


	7. Act Two, Part Two

_Un Bel Dei_

**-(Act Two, Part Two)-**

Ebbene,  
che fareste, Madama Butterfly...  
s'ei non dovesse ritornar più mai?

Due cose potrei far:  
tornar... a divertir  
la gente col cantar...  
oppur,... meglio, morire

-

Now say, what  
would you do, tell me, Madam Butterfly...  
If he were never to return again?

Two things I might do:  
Go back... and entertain  
the people with my songs...  
Or else, ...better... to die.

-

Shikamaru watched the little boy chase metallic red dragonflies around the banks of the river. He really was a beautiful little kid. With Naruto's soft skin and cheek marks, yet the handsome appearancs his American father held. An honest little jewel amongst the other residents of Nagasaki.

Naruto must have been keeping the boy a well-kept secret, because Shikamaru had neither heard or seen of him before now… and Shikamaru knew of all the town's happenings.

The boy slipped clumsily into the water a little, his eyes suddenly filling with tears, and came running messily to his father, collapsing in his arms whimpering.

Shikamaru smiled.

"What's his name?"

Naruto looked up, pleased Shikamaru was in a better mood than before.

"It's a little complicated." Naruto began. The brunette raised a cautious eyebrow before Naruto continued.

"For now, his name is Sorrow."

"For now?" Shika prompted.

The blonde sighed. "Yes, for now."

Shikamaru shook his head, "why did you name him Sorrow if you plan on changing it later?"

"His name will be Joy," Naruto said, disregarding the latest question, "when his father returns."

"Ah," came the reply, and he lent back against the warm rocks. "You're so romantic, Naruto. You live in a delusional world."

Naruto poked his tongue out.

A vein on Shikamaru's head twitched in annoyance.

"Naruto, come with me," he said, standing up and brushing himself down. "There's someone I want you to meet."

-

Naruto had winded through back alleys with his precious child bundled up in his arms, avoiding contact with anybody who might interfere.

He had managed to reach his home upon the hill without being noticed, snuck the child indoors and put him safely to bed, Ino promising to take good care of the little boy. Naruto smiled sweetly at her. She always helped him take care of the boy, she was a good friend.

He had agreed to meet Shikamaru at his home after dusk had faded into night.

Shikamaru had graduated into the ranks of relationship-broker, mostly helping his father with arranged marriages, as had been tradition in Japan since before he had been born.

Since Naruto was, _different_, he had set about the challenge by finding an appropriate suitor for the young man. He was different to the others he had previously arranged relationships for, since most of them were actually _looking _for the relationship, but he had made up his mind.

Besides, it was all too convenient that somebody had marched in yesterday demanding a soul mate. Somebody who could be _perfect_ for Naruto.

That was how, when the last glimpses of the day faded to a musky palette in the sky, Naruto found himself standing on Shikamaru's humble doorstep, knocking lightly on the door.

The brunette opened the door and ushered him in, pointing out chairs with idle hand movements.

"So," Naruto said, excitedly, "who am I meeting?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, annoyed at how fast Naruto could forget his intentions.

"I'm not going to lie to you," he said, bluntly, "I've found someone who would be perfect for you, Naruto."

Naruto's enthusiasm suddenly flew, and he was frowning deeply.

"Shikamaru, I _told_ you…"

The boy put his hands up in front of him. "Hey, at least _meet _him first."

"Him?" Naruto said, folding his arms.

Shika nodded, "well, I just assumed…"

Naruto stood up to leave, Shikamaru forced a hand to his shoulder and pushed him back down.

"_Please_, Naruto… just _meet_ him. For me?" Shikamaru said solemnly.

Naruto's face cringed. He shut his eyes and his brow creased.

"Fine."

Shikamaru smiled at him. "You won't regret it. Wait here, I'll bring him in."

He stood and left the room, a tiny, almost unnoticeable bounce in his step at the achievement. It wasn't long before he brought back in with him one of the most handsome men he had ever seen.

He was tall, with a beautiful face and soft, fluid eyes. His dark brown hair fell gracefully down to his waist, and he was adorned with a delicate embroidered white and lilac gown, white-gold trinkets dangling lightly off his arms and neck.

"This," Shikamaru said with finality, "is _Prince_ Hyuuga Neji."

Naruto opened his mouth to stutter something, but ended up just opening and closing it again, like a stunned fish. He blushed heavily and got to his knees, bowing low on the floor. _That was what you did for royalty, wasn't it?_

The man smiled and offered a silky smooth hand to Naruto, who accepted, standing.

"Naruto," Shikamaru said, sparks flying from his voice, "Master Hyuuga is looking for someone such as yourself and-"

Neji cut in, "if it would will you, I would like you to become my other half."

Naruto gaped at the man some more, who, apparently, wasn't finished.

"I would treasure you every day like the jewel you are," he said, stepping closer and lifting a hand to touch the sweet marks on Naruto's face, "you would get all the money, friends and love that you could ever ask for."

Naruto looked to the floor, the red tainting his cheeks.

"I- I-…"

Neji held up a finger to his soft mouth, pressing it lightly against it to silence him.

This man was amazing, Naruto had to admit. He was handsome, _and_ offered him the moon and the stars. Just the thought made him want to hold him and beg him to take him away.

But Naruto couldn't. No matter how much he could be loved, it just wouldn't be worth it if the love wasn't mutual.

"I'm sorry."

Neji looked into his beautiful deep blue eyes. "I can't help but feel that it was destiny that drew me here. Now you deny me this pleasure..?" he paused, before adding, "no… you deny _yourself_?"

Naruto smiled and tilted his head to the side, but nodded.

The tall man leaned down and placed his hands on Naruto's shoulders, leant to his ear and whispered, "I'll be waiting for you to reconsider, if you ever feel the need."

Naruto lifted his hand as respectfully as he could. "I am sorry. That will never happen."

"Naruto!!" Shikamaru hissed at him.

"No," Neji said, frankly. "This boy, no matter how much I feel or spew emotions, has the aura of a taken soul."

Naruto bowed deeply. "Thank you for your understanding."

The Prince bowed back, before nodding to Shikamaru, taking his coat and calling a servant to assist him on the perilous journey home.

-

The walls were coloured a venomous red, and velvety curtains fell heavily to the ground, shutting out the light which the windows were so intent on delivering.

Lieutenant Sasuke Uchiha sat, pen perched precariously between forefinger and thumb, hovering dangerously over a finished letter.

The letter began dutifully, kindly, but with intended message… '_To my dearest Naruto…_'

And ended just as painfully… '…_Sincerest apologies, Lieutenant Sasuke Uchiha._'

His eyes were weary from the previous night, which had been spent scrawling thoroughly on the now anything-but-empty piece of paper in front of him.

"Kakashi.." Sasuke called.

The man appeared in flawless time, as always.

"Yes, Sir?"

"I need this letter delivered."

Kakashi nodded curtly. "I shall summon the Post Master at once-

"No, Kakashi," Sasuke interrupted, "I need this one _personally_ delivered."

Kakashi took the envelope from his outstretched hand, looking gravely at the name inscribed in twirly handwriting on the front.

"Sir," Kakashi half-spoke, half-gulped, "does this letter entail…"

"Yes, Kakashi," Sasuke cut him off again.

The silver-haired man let his gaze fall to the floor. He remained for a good minute before bowing slowly and shuffling out.

Sasuke was left alone.


	8. Act Two, Part Three

_Un Bel Dei_

**-(Act Two, Part Three)-**

Vedi lo scimunito  
tuo dubbio? È giunto! è giunto! è giunto!  
proprio nel punto  
che ognun diceva; piangi e dispera.  
Trionfa il mio amor!  
il mio amor;  
la mia fè trionfa intera.  
Ei torna e m'ama!

-

Now do you see the folly  
of doubting? He's coming! He's coming! He's coming!  
Just at the moment  
you all were saying: Weep and forget him.  
My love wins the day!  
See, my love  
and my faith have won completely.  
He's here, he loves me!

-

Naruto smiled up at the world.

Such a beautiful day, the best he had seen in a very long time. The spring had produced a bounty of lush green panoramas, right around the hill-top home, and Naruto had thanked the gods for the spectacular views.

"Naruto…!" a voice called from inside.

He swiveled to meet Ino, blonde hair undone and sparkling round her waist. She had lowered her head and was peering up at him, waggling a finger.

"You know better than to stand out on the balcony on a breezy spring morning wearing nothing but that!" she exclaimed, pointing out his flimsy yukata. It flapped around his sides and legs, which made him shiver.

There was some sort of… _anticipation_ in the air. A thick tension which was being held back by something unknown.

Naruto grinned. It sent sparks of incitation coursing through his veins.

"Sorry Ino."

She just ruffled his hair and began preparing him a hot bath. The steam curled upwards from the wooden floor and the bath's smooth edges. Ino had bowed and left the room once she turned the water off and tested the heat.

Naruto muttered his thanks as she exited, still not able to put his finger on this restlessness.

-

Ino collapsed ungracefully on the futon which she often shared with Sorrow. The child was sleeping soundlessly on a nearby mattress, breathing short but comfortable breaths.

She snuggled deeper into the blankets, which cocooned her in, making her feel secure.

She felt awful for Naruto.

That boy had been such an important part of her life. Her best friend, without a doubt.

And when Sasuke had marched in, she knew of the dangers that foreign men brought to this country. It had happened before and Ino knew that it was going to be a long time before it would stop happening.

But when she had seen Naruto's face, which had been overflowing with such unspeakable joy she felt that she herself could never possibly experience such an unbelievable emotion, she had to let him do it.

Since that man left, though, not a day went by that she didn't regret her choice.

That Sasuke had been bad news, and she knew it.

Although, she couldn't deny. If she had to go back and do it again, she would let it happen.

She pulled the sheets around her closer, enveloping herself in their warmth, sighing.

_BANG!_

The sudden noise made her jolt upright.

"Ino?" she heard Naruto call from the bath.

"I'll go check…" she said, frantically scrambling up from her little nook and running to the balcony.

Ino felt her knees weaken at the shock.

Standing on the neighbouring hill, was none other than the now renowned Prince Hyuuga Neji, atop a white stallion. The horse whinnied loudly, giving the handsome man quite the entrance.

But that would be nothing if it weren't for the other sight which had fallen upon the view.

Pulling into the harbour, with cannons smoking off their recently fired cargo, white sails flapping triumphantly in the wind, a brilliant American flag flying proudly peaked high above the mast, was a familiar ship, of a grand scale.

Ino's heart fell.

She muttered to herself under her breath.

"Nothing good will come of this…"

-

Ino decided _not_ to tell Naruto about the American ship that had pulled into the harbour, as she knew he'd probably run down soaking wet and naked without a second thought. She did mention the convenient arrival of the Prince, however, as a way of hiding the true purpose of the cannons.

As expected, this did not deter Naruto from the process of dressing himself. She smiled inwardly at this thought.

Once he was dressed, however, she couldn't hide the fact any longer. In would be minutes before he returned to gazing out from the balcony again, besides. He would take no more than two seconds to see the ship and begin cart wheeling.

"Naruto," Ino started, carefully.

"Yes?" he said, brushing his hair off with a towel and wiping out his ears.

"In the harbour…" she began, but before she could finish, Naruto had bounded past her to the balcony window.

He paused, back turned to Ino, who desperately wanted to see his expression. _Please, help him_…

"Naruto…"

"INO!" he squealed, effectively jumping on her and pulling her into a strong and gentle embrace. He had tears in his eyes.

"He's here!! Ino! He's here!!"

"Naruto, please…"

He didn't listen.

"Ino, go wake and bathe Sorrow, I will go wait downstairs for his arrival," he bounced down the stairs, mumbling to himself happy words, quite lost in what was to come.

Ino gradually bowed, her heavy heart pressing deeper into her chest.

"Yes, Sir."

-

Kakashi Hatake stood somberly at the old door.

He had not been here for more than three years, not much had changed. The villagers seemed to stick to their way of life, not wanting the hassle of the new aged technology, content with their passable existence.

The house in front of him was as it was all that long ago. It was tall and well built, but in his own personal opinion, it was honestly just a Western eyesore amongst the peaceful little homes of the other villagers.

It had faded here and there, maintenance of the building obviously uncared for.

He knocked heavily again, hearing the ratt-tatt-tatting echo down the hallway beyond.

Soon enough, hurried footfall could be heard intermingling with his dying rapping.

With a flash of blonde, Kakashi almost choked on the fact that he would be facing the boy already.

He swallowed his stomach when he realized it was the maid, a fiery young girl with long silken hair.

Kakashi bowed as well he could, adhering to the local customs. "I am..-"

"Not Sasuke," the girl finished for him.

Kakashi smiled, "no Miss, I most certainly am not."

She stepped to the side, holding the door open. "Please, come in."

He stepped into the house, duly noting that it had gotten colder, and darker, since the last time.

-

Naruto sat in the waiting room, which was decorated accordingly, colour- and theme- coordinating with the rest of the house.

Opposite him sat Shikamaru, wearing reasonably formal clothes, his hair tied back tight in an rigid ponytail.

To the left of the man sat Neji Hyuuga, looking as regal as ever.

Naruto sat, cross armed and cross legged, facing to the side of him, a delicate pout and furrowed brow adorning his face.

"Naruto Uzumaki, please…" Neji said, tea in hand, poised, "… reconsider my offer. From what I have heard…"

"You have heard nothing but lies," Naruto cut in, crossly.

Neji pulled back.

"Naruto," Shikamaru began, agitated, "I think it would be in your best interests to _forget _Sasuke and move on. This man is _Hyuuga_ Neji. A Prince. You're life would be so much better if you only-"

"He is coming!" Naruto said, loudly, but not yelling. "His ship docked in the harbour this morning!"

"That's not his ship," Neji said, bowing his head to the rim of his porcelain cup. "Similar, yes. But not his."

Naruto's expression faltered momentarily.

_Ratt-tatt-tat._

The blonde's ears pricked up. _The door_.

"Ino..!!" Naruto shouted, torn between rushing for the door himself and pushing the girl down the hall just to speed her up.

"Coming!" came a muffled, distant reply.

The guest knocked again.

_Ratt-tatt-tat._

He heard the door open, some casual conversation swapped, then the door creak shut.

His heart was in his throat as the footsteps were heard. All eyes were on the partially closed door.

The shuffles came to a halt outside the door, the ageing floor groaning with the new weight.

A doorknob was grasped and the door pushed ever-so-slowly open.

It wasn't Sasuke.

But it had to have been the next best thing.

"Kakashi!" Naruto exclaimed, standing up and hugging the man. Kakashi smiled and hugged somewhat awkwardly back.

"Naruto Uzumaki," he started, taking out the letter from his inner breast pocket, "here I have..."

"A letter!?" Naruto cried out, grasping the letter from his hand and pulling it into an even sweeter embrace than Kakashi's.

"It's from Sasuke, no?" Naruto asked, beaming.

Kakashi nodded slowly. _Perhaps this would be delivered quick._

Ino slunk into the room and took a seat near Naruto.

"Kakashi Hatake," Shikamaru said, standing and offering his hand, which Kakashi shook, smiling from the Western act, "I am Nara Shikamaru, if you recall."

"Yes, I do."

"This is Prince Hyuuga Neji, of a neighbouring kingdom," he said, introducing the elegant brunette next to him.

"I see…" Kakashi said, not flinching once.

"He is a suitor of Naruto's…"

"I told him no," Naruto cut in, giggling softly and still hugging the letter to his chest.

Kakashi's hope of a painless delivery was shattered. "Why ever would you do that…?"

Naruto smiled and cocked his head. "Sasuke is coming! He even sent me this love letter to prove it."

Kakashi sat down, gesturing for Naruto to follow.

"Please, open it, Naruto."

Naruto looked down at the letter lovingly, opening it as carefully as he could.

There was a heavy silence as Naruto's eyes danced over the words, skimming them one-by-one.

Several minutes passed, all of them in dead quiet.

"Kakashi…"

The silver-haired man's expression was wordless, indescribable. Naruto continued.

"I would like you to read it for me…"

_Why is this so hard?_

Ino leant over to the silver haired man, and uttered quietly, "please excuse him, Sir. Naruto never did learn to read."

Kakashi's brow creased deep.

"Yes," he said, taking back the letter from Naruto, who was holding it out imploringly.

"My dearest Naruto, beautiful Naruto…"

Naruto stood up, "see? Such words couldn't come from anyone but Sasuke!"

Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder, forcing him down. "Please…"

"Continue…" Naruto said, quieting down.

"Never in my life, have I had such an experience I had with you. Three years have gone by since…"

"Then he has counted the days too!" Naruto stood up, exclaiming again, swooning romantically.

"Naruto…" Ino said, softly.

"Yes… carry on," he said, sitting down and blushing lightly.

Kakashi sighed, "perhaps you no longer remember me…"

"Perhaps.. perhaps..." Naruto puffed out. "Ino, tell him! Perhaps..!!"

"Naruto…" Shikamaru drolled out, forcing him down again.

"If," Kakashi continued, "you are still waiting.."

Naruto sighed happily and loudly.

".. then I am relying on the Consul to act with tact and caution…"

The blonde tried to stifle a cheery giggle.

".. to prepare the blow…"

"Please, hurry..!" Naruto asked.

Kakashi, agitated, scrunched the letter back into his pocket.

_How am I supposed to tell him? That devil Uchiha…_

"Tell me, Naruto, what would you do if Sasuke was never to return?"

"Well," Naruto said, voice becoming soft and delicately broken, "I'd attempt to go back to my regular life, despite my being disowned.."

Kakashi nodded.

".. or else better, die."

The tall foreigner paused and thought briefly before speaking. "Naruto, I may be tearing you from beguiling illusions, but I think it would be ideal for you to accept Prince Hyuuga's offer…"

"You? You're telling me this? Kakashi, you're just as bad as they are..!!" he exclaimed, pointing at all offenders in the room.

Kakashi shook his head, as if the act would make up for the remark Naruto took such great offense to.

"Am I forgotten?" he asked, quietly, as the door creaked open again.

In tottered a small child with dark hair and dark eyes. He ran to his father, who held out his arms, taking the boy in.

"Is _he_ forgotten?"

Kakashi's eyebrows raised. "Is it his?!"

Naruto smiled up at him, proudly. "The likeness is uncanny, no?"

He responded with a nod.

"Sasuke's ship is only a day or two behind," Kakashi bowed low, and left.

Naruto's face fell into shock. "A day?"

"Naruto…" Shikamaru began.

"Please, dear Prince," Naruto started, "you know my answer, I apologise."

Neji barely had time to give a small nod before Naruto left the room, bounding and skipping away happily with the child.

Ino stared after him with teary eyes.

"...Naruto..."


	9. Act Two, Part Four

_Un Bel Dei_

**-(Act Two, Part Four)-**

E starem zitti come topolini  
ad aspettar.

-

And still as little mice we will stay here  
to watch and wait.

-

Prince Neji had vowed that he would not be returning again. His second unsuccessful venture proving one too many failed attempts.

So Naruto had sat, watching for Sasuke's ship, from the balcony of the home he had left him.

The evening came, the heavens turning a frozen melee of warm orange and deep blue twilight.

Naruto remained at the post, Ino wary of his attitude towards the situation. The sea would remain watched for the rest of the night if he did not put his heart at rest.

Sorrow had kissed his father goodnight, and fallen asleep quickly in Ino's arms. The blonde maid put the little child to sleep, his cherub angel face breathing air steadily out of his tiny chest.

Ino had tried her hardest to stay awake, occasionally offering the anticipating Naruto a drink, or trying to persuade him to rest.

Soon the night took it's toll, the girl could no longer hold her heavy eyelids open, and she drifted into slumber on her soft mattress beside the child.

The man who sat on the porch had no interest in sleep. The unwelcome restlessness that came with the insane agitation of waiting was enough alone to keep him awake. He knew he would get no sleep that night.

He would watch and wait forever, ever vigilant.


	10. Act Three, Part One

_Un Bel Dei_

**-(Act Three, Part One)-**

Salite a riposare, affranta siete  
al suo venire vi chiamerò.

-

I pray you go and rest, for you are weary,  
And I will call you when he arrives.

-

Dawn cracked across the sky, the first pale beams of light stretching desperately across whatever it could. Long, snaky shadows fell on the ground, damp and harmless.

The ocean began to glitter, twinkling soft reminders to the recesses of Naruto's tired mind.

_Sasuke… where are you, Sasuke?_

His heavy eyelids fluttered every now and then, the sleepless night trying vainly to take its toll.

He snuggled deeper into the blanket he had wrapped himself in to keep warm. A balcony was really no place to spend an entire night, even if the late spring had made the nights hotter.

A delicate morning breeze picked up his hair, tossing it gently to and fro as his steadfast gaze remained forlornly on the water.

Life tossed around cruel scenarios as if the world was a plaything, a sweet little a doll.

Naruto had never been a believer of fate, of _destiny_.

But somehow, his had seem forbidden, as if something unknown was going to embrace him, dangerously, enveloped in an illegal act of bliss.

Everything in his life was going to be perfect. It would all happen right.

_Or very, very wrong._

He had to trust in Sasuke. Trust was one of the foundations of love.

And he loved Sasuke so very much.

He refocused his eyes on the horizon, scanning from bay to bay for any sign of that high-flying American flag.

-

Ino had woken after the sun had crept above the edge of the water, the bright circle dancing waves of heat down to the earthy surface already.

Her closed eyelids glowed red in her mind, not wanting the sunlight to get in _just_ yet.

But she moved her toes as if the act would rouse her from her sleepy state. It didn't take too much longer for her to stretch her arms to the ceiling and yawn, stirring the young girl to wake properly.

She glanced carefully around, noting little Sorrow sleeping next to her, breathing steadily.

But Naruto…

Naruto was not in his bed.

She slid of the bed quietly, making sure not to wake the child. Tip-toeing silently around the noiseless floorboards, she whispered, "Naruto…"

Before the boy could respond, she glimpsed the blonde hair out sitting on the balcony, resting tiredly in a cocoon of fluffy blanket.

"Naruto…" she sighed, sitting next to the boy.

"Oh," he said, eyes puffy from the long night, "Good morning, Ino."

"How long have you sat there?"

Naruto blinked a few times at her, comprehending the simple question.

"All night…"

Ino shut her eyes and shook her head.

"Sleep, then."

He swayed his head side to side, looking like he was going to topple over.

"Can't," he replied quietly.

"Because you're waiting for Sasuke…?"

A brief nod answered the question.

She sighed, louder than before. "Sleep then, and I'll wake you if he arrives."

The boy barely had time to smile before his body began collapsing. Ino hurried the boy, half-slung over one shoulder, to a bed. He hauled himself on and uttered a death-quiet _thank you_, before immediately falling to sleep.

Ino just smiled at the boy in all his innocence.

She held her hands together, clasped in a precious prayer.

"Please," she pleaded, a silent tear falling down her cheek, "help him."

-

A loud yell intermingled with the thuds of collision. The ship had finally arrived.

Not a moment too soon, either. He knew the new cargo he had been hauling didn't fare well on long trips.

"Lieutenant Sasuke," a young sailor said, bustling through the door.

"Your mother never taught you manners, boy?" the dark-haired man said, a displeased look on his face.

"Ah- Sorry, Sir," the boy stammered, bowing.

He continued, "Sir, we've reached Nagasaki. You are free to disembark."

With a curt nod he dismissed the boy.

He looked out the window of his personal cabin, fingers interlocked underneath his chin.

"What has become of you, Naruto, I wonder…"

Yells came from outside the door, followed by crashes. A muffled, "_Sir, that room is private!_".

The door flew open.

"What have you done, Sasuke Uchiha…"

The man was fuming, totally uncharacteristically.

"Kakashi…" he began, but the man was at his throat before he could go any further.

"That boy has waited for you," he said, angrily. He found some condolence in the smear of colour that faded from Sasuke's face.

"He's waited for you. He's practically counted the days…"

Kakashi stopped and pulled away, shock on his face for only a moment.

He bowed, still breathing heavily from the overflow of emotion.

"Apologies," he muttered.

"You'll find I had not the heart to tell the boy," he added coldly, before pivoting and leaving the room.

Sasuke swallowed hard.

_He had waited…_

-

She saw the boat coming in. It was a tiny speck on the horizon, but she could recognize that ship a mile away. When she saw Naruto falling off his night-watch perch, so tired his body was forcing him unconscious, she knew she had to act fast to get the poor boy away from the realization of Sasuke's possible arrival.

A person could be totally unpredictable when tired, and she doubted that the fact differed for Naruto.

She hurried him to bed with promises to wake him if he arrived, when in truth, he already had.

Now, she stood at the front door, knowing that this arrival must be kept as quiet as possible, as to not wake the sleeping boy upstairs.

She sat on the doorstep in her humble servant's clothes, mouth a hard line across her face, waiting.

It had not been long, as she anticipated, before the fabled man came marching up the hill top towards the house. In tow were the Consul, Hatake, half a dozen men, and one particularly interesting new face she hadn't seen before.

"Ino…" Kakashi said, running ahead of the others.

"Kakashi…" she said, flustered, "who _is_ that?"

"Ino, I'm sorry… I couldn't say before… I…"

"Who is it?" Ino yelled at him, already guessing the truth. The others were catching up faster. Tears began pouring from her eyes.

"Ino, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Kakashi grabbed her shoulders in attempt to get her to look at him.

"No," she screamed, pushing him away. "No! No! No!" She fell into the dirt, still trying to kick Kakashi away. "Why?!"

"Please Ino," he begged, a look of hurt on his face.

She was reduced to heaving sobs, half yelling through painful cries, "he waited for so long!"

"Ino…"

"So LONG!" she screamed, before audibly breaking down again, hands covering her eyes.

The new face appeared to her left, but only briefly. Ino looked over, the newcomer's body now bent over double, head to the ground, in a deep bow of apology.

"I'm very sorry…" she said, not rising.

"Who _are_ you…?" Ino said, tears slowing and voice a little more steady, but eerily quiet.

She dared bring her head up just a little, to look at the blonde girl in front of her. Soft, pink hair framed her young face.

"Sakura…" she said, in a whisper, her expression plagued with a deep regret.

"… Mrs Sakura Uchiha…"


	11. Act Three, Part Two

_Un Bel Dei_

**-(Act Three, Part Two)-**

Sotto il gran ponte del cielo non v'è  
donna di voi più felice.  
Siatelo sempre,  
non v'attristate per me...  
Mi piacerebbe pur che gli diceste  
che pace io troverò.

-

'Neath the blue vault of the sky, there is no  
happier lady than you are.  
May you remain so,  
nor e'er be sadden'd through me.  
Yet it would please me much that you should tell him  
that peace will come to me.

-

_Time was nothing. Time meant nothing. A single petal faded down from the trees, the palest shade of pink, dancing to a song finished long ago._

_It hovered, hesitant to make that final scattered plunge, before barely touching the surface of the water, sending crystal ripples to the edge of the water. _

_Whatever image had been shining from the water before had been blurred, distanced by the shimmering movements. Naruto squinted, desperate to see, but the picture remained foggy. It was only when the water began to settle when Naruto heard it. _

_Crying. A sad, quiet sob. A familiar one._

"_Who's there?" he called, losing interest in the clearing water and suddenly needing to desperately find and help the crying person._

_A flicker caught his eye, he pivoted to see a tiny, beautiful little butterfly, its delicate wings tangled in a mess of spider web. _

_She was not moving, but she was crying, Naruto was sure of it. _

"_Little butterfly," he said softly, "what's wrong?"_

_She looked up at him. She had not the lips to talk, but somehow, he heard her voice._

"_It was so pretty," motioning to the web, "so pretty, so perfect… I didn't even notice… but now it's impossible to escape…"_

_Naruto smiled at the little insect, shaking his head, "it can't be impossible... I'll help you."_

_Naruto lifted a finger underneath the butterfly, ready to pry it off the web, to help her._

"_No! Don't!" she screamed at him, but too late._

_She screamed, high pitched and fatal as her wings tore, ripping from her very body. She continued screaming and thrashing as she fell to the ground. Naruto did nothing, he couldn't do anything, he just stood there in shock, paralyzed, as tears began pouring from his face. _

"_WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" she shrieked in agony. _

"_I'm sorry!" Naruto began, stammering the phrase over and over hysterically, trying to pull the wings off of the web, but only succeeding in tearing them further. By the time he had knelt down to the little butterfly, shaking violently and clutching the remnants of her beautiful wings, she had long died._

-

He awoke with a start, partially from that odd falling sensation you get when you're sleeping. The dream was quickly forgotten when he roused from the blankets and saw what was sitting in the harbour.

The ship which promised him everything.

The grin which exploded cheek to cheek could barely be contained by his face. This was better than the best, an eternity of waiting had finally come to an end.

Sasuke had arrived, he was finally here, and Naruto could see him, after all this time.

He grabbed the outer layers of his clothing which Ino had removed, throwing them on as neatly and hastily as he could. Nothing could restrain the excitement, the incredible surplus of emotion he was feeling.

"I'm coming, Sasuke," he finished, tying the last piece of cloth round his waist and bounding out of the room.

-

"A… a child…?" Sasuke stammered, having to sit down from the sudden weight that was forced upon him.

"Yes," Ino said, not angrily, but most certainly not submissively.

"I… A child?!" Sasuke repeated again, trying to desperately grasp at his own thoughts. His mind swooned with impossible concepts.

"Leave us to talk!" he suddenly demanded, motioning everybody towards the door. They filed out quickly, not wanting to be the chosen emotional outlet of the angry Lieutenant.

-

"Where would my Sasuke be waiting?!" Naruto chided to himself, tip-toeing down the hallways and peering around corners.

Of course, he knew where guests waited. The waiting room was designed for that purpose, and he doubted he would be anywhere else.

So he played the game with himself, drawing ever nearer to Sasuke, letting the happy sensation crawl over him.

_Closer_.

-

"This just isn't possible!" Sasuke wasn't quite yelling, but it was loud.

"Well it is!" Ino said, beginning to lose her composure. "It _is _possible and it happened!"

"I don't understand! He waited all this time?" he asked.

"Didn't you care at _all_!" she screamed at him.

Sasuke glared at the girl. "I cared," he said, bluntly. "I still care, but he should have known!"

"Known _what_, Lieutenant?"

"Its just not… _acceptable_. It couldn't happen."

Ino stared at him like he was a filthy rag. "He believed only what _you_ told him."

Sasuke put his face in his hands, not crying, but feeling like he was.

_What had he done?_

-

Naruto stood at the door, smiling at himself, fingers shaking on the doorknob. There was only one thing left to do, and the wait was grinding his very core. It was over. The waiting. It was finally over. A happy tear slid down his cheek as he pressed his weight to the door, pushing it open joyfully.

There was a gasp from inside as Naruto's eyes focused and took in what he saw before him.

Two people, a man and a woman sitting, discussing.

But the man was not Sasuke, it was Kakashi.

And the woman…

... he had never seen her before.

"Kakashi!" he said, giving his biggest grin, and bowing low. Kakashi stood up immediately.

"Naruto…" he began, but before he had time to fathom what he would say next, Naruto cut in, eager to make polite conversation, wary of the new girl.

He smiled politely at her. "Naruto Uzumaki," a quick bow, "and who may you be?"

The girl's eyes flooded almost instantaneously. Naruto pulled back in shock as the girl flung herself at his feet.

"Forgive me, Naruto…"

He glanced at the silver-haired man, who was helping the sobbing girl up and back onto her feet.

"Naruto…" Kakashi turned to him, eyes somber. "This is Sasuke's wife, Sakura Uchiha."

-

_The world. It was breaking in two. Something had gone wrong, but he didn't understand what._

"Please, Naruto… I'll take care of the child…"

_What could have possibly gone wrong? It was so perfect, so beautiful…_

"Yes, that will be fine."

…_and yet, something had gone wrong all the same. Perfection wasn't easy… but it had been there, between the two of them._

"… Naruto, I'm so sorry… I just…"

"No," he said, breaking out of the trance. He looked at the young girl. She was beautiful, soft features with delicate pale arms, a tiny waist.

"Don't be sorry," he spoke softly, taking her hands in his to reassure her. "Nobody in the world should be happier than you."

The brief shock on her face wore off and her eyes watered again, spilling down her cheeks.

"You shouldn't be sad for my sake," he added, softly treading towards the door.

He grasped the door handle. "Please, tell him to come in half an hour to collect Joy."

Before taking the last few steps out the door, he turned, and bowed gracefully.

The sincere smile never left his face.


	12. Act Three, Part Three

_Un Bel Dei_

**-(Act Three, Part Two: Finale)-**

Con onor muore  
chi non può serbar vita con onore.

-

To die with honour

when one can no longer live with honour.

-

The child had woken and come, sleepy eyed with tired weight, to rest in Naruto's lap.

He smiled down at the boy and petted his dark hair, ruffling it like he did every other day. The gesture comforted the child, who had sensed something was wrong and come running as soon as he had gotten up.

Naruto looked at his lap, at his son who gazed up at him with adoring, dark eyes. He pointed a finger to the boy's nose. "What's your name?"

The boy giggled, "Sorrow!"

Naruto shook his head, smiling back and tickling the youth. "Not anymore…!"

Joy giggled some more, before holding his arms up, asking for hugs. "Why, Papa?"

The blonde man tilted his head to the side. "Remember what daddy told you?"

"Other Papa is here?"

Naruto nodded, the graceful smile never once leaving his lips. The dark haired child's face exploded into a grin.

"We're gonna be a family?" he said, voice high, "We're gonna be happy, just like you said in the stories, Papa!"

The smile faded ever so slightly. "Yes, you're going to have a family…"

He placed the boy next to him, who then proceeded to roll over in a child-like fashion. A quick stretch of legs and Naruto was standing, walking over to a curtain-covered wall.

The only possession Naruto had kept of his own, installed in this house Sasuke had left him.

Naruto ripped down a section of the curtain, the flimsy cloth limp in his hands. It revealed what was beneath, something very precious to Naruto, and he had only realized its true significance minutes ago.

The little boy had only seen it once before, at which point Naruto scolded him for prying, but told him a few details about it none-the-less.

"Do you remember what this is?" he asked the child, turning around and motioning lightly to the object.

"Grand Papa?" the boy said, quizzically turning his head from side to side, not particularly remembering the story.

Naruto leant down and kissed the boy on the forehead, embraced him.

The child looked up and when he felt wetness fall to his cheek.

"Papa… why are you crying?"

"We're going to play a game…" Naruto said, not ignoring the comment, just sheltering his son.

The boy clapped his hands playfully and giggled again, which Naruto smiled at.

"You have to stay perfectly still, alright?" he whispered, bringing up the torn cloth from the curtain and wrapping it around the child's eyes, tying it firmly at the back of his head. It would do.

"Papa?"

"Yes?"

"I love you, Papa," he said, grasping the air trying to hug him again. Naruto ruffled his hair, embraced him once more and then kissed him tenderly, for the very last time.

-

"Enough talk!" Sasuke said, disgruntled.

But it was true. They had been talking about it, arguing and exchanging opinions, but not getting anywhere. Ino was incredibly stubborn and her changing attitudes had little effect on Sasuke.

Now, with all that behind him he had to find Naruto.

Something needed to be said, and although he wasn't sure how it would turn out, he knew it had to be done. Arguing with this feeble-minded blonde woman wasn't going to aid or deter him from the mission he set out to do.

"Where is he?"

Ino stood up. "Our conversation is obviously over."

"I just made that clear…"

_Tak-Tak-_

The door flung open after a few knocks. Whoever it was, they were very impatient.

Kakashi fell through the door stumbling. Sakura, who looked upset and almost guilty, stood quietly behind him.

"Sir," came the hasty statement, "he knows."

Ino gasped and tried to run out the door. She was stopped by Kakashi, who held her steadfast. Sasuke groaned and pressed his fingers to his head in a thinking gesture.

"How did he take it?"

"… from anybody else's point of view… quite well…"

Sasuke didn't need any further prompts. He knew that _anybody else _wasn't Kakashi, and that meant it was bad.

"… And?"

"What do you _mean_… _and_?" Ino spat at him, still in Kakashi's grip, her words sharp.

Kakashi sighed painfully. "He requests you meet him to collect the child."

Sasuke's eyes widened momentarily. "He agreed to that?"

This reunion had started to stir odd sensations of déjà vu through his veins.

He couldn't deny, he missed the boy a lot. For the first few weeks, his feelings refused to fade and he thought about him every day.

But sure enough, time eventually took its toll, and he had been forcibly moved-on by society and his peers. Sakura had marched into his life proclaiming undying love, without Sasuke ever knowing of her existence before then. Although the feelings for her were practically moot, Sasuke had married the pink-haired, bright-eyed woman on a whim, as so others didn't begin to question his bachelorhood. Little did she know what his love-life entailed before her. He honestly thought she wouldn't have particularly cared for anyone who got in the way of her _undying love_.

Yet she had begun sobbing again. Sasuke scowled at her filthily, before turning back to Kakashi.

"So, _where is he_?"

-

After cooing the boy into submission, he had stood motionlessly in front of the wall, the pointed object glaring sunlight into split beams of light.

A beautiful sword, golden embossed foxes and dragons decorated the hilt, which was worn but still exquisite.

His fingers ran along the back of the sword before coming to rest evenly either side of it. Not a sound came when he lifted it delicately from its mount.

It came to lay in his lap, where he ran his fingers delicately along the ancient inscription on the blade. In perfectly crafted Japanese calligraphy, it read _'To die with honour, when one can no longer live with honour._'

He closed his eyes, breathing steady. _Prepared_.

"So this is what its like, father…" Naruto spoke softly, light fingers searching the sword's intricacies.

He looked once more out at the view, the sleepy little city of Nagasaki. A lone tear fell down his cheek as he picked up the heavy blade.

"It sure is a beautiful day today…"

With serene finality, a smile, innocent and pure, burdened his lips.

-

Sasuke's heart was pounding in his chest.

Something in the atmosphere had just changed. He _felt_ it, and he saw that the others did too. The urgency had risen, but it was Sasuke who had gotten up and started running, the remaining three in tow, but distanced.

He had reached the heavy door which marked Naruto's bedroom, and began hammering on it, jiggling the handle violently and yelling out his name, begging for him to open it.

When nobody answered, he had opted to forcing all his weight upon the door, hard. One, two, three attempts saw splinters fly and the lock give way. A child's scream was heard and Sasuke fell to his knees at what he saw.

A young boy, with dark hair and whiskered cheeks, was blindfolded and cowering in the corner. This distraction was a fraction of momentary.

A bundle of blood-covered cloth was mangled on the floor. Amongst it, deathly pale…

_Naruto…_

The trees outside began pouring pink petals through the window. He could hear agonized sobbing coming from somewhere.

Everything had started moving slowly, he knew someone was crying but his mind began to block the noises out.

All he heard was the breeze. And the ocean. His own heart beat in his ears.

His eyes wide and mouth stammering pointless words, he crawled forward to the blonde angel that lay still in front of him.

A song he hadn't heard in years began to play in his head. Except this time, it was sad. It was mourning.

"… _Naruto…_" he whispered softly, so quiet that he barely heard it himself.

His shaky pale fingers moved to hold up his head, getting a better view of the face he had desired and loved so long ago.

… _and still did._

"… _Sasuke_…"

His lips hardly moved, the eyes barely open. But the smile…

Tears began to pour from his eyes, down his cheeks, coming to rest on Naruto's already soaked clothing.

He bent down, finally understanding what he had done, what they were all warning him about.

His lips brushed the cherished ones of his counterpart, nothing more than a feather touch. It was too late to ask for anything else.

Holding Naruto with him like that, he felt the weak smile grow just a little more, before the body became limp in his arms.

Sasuke's entire body shook with something primitive and suppressed. Eyes widening further than before, the sobbing began. Loud, heart-wrenching. He began screaming, though he didn't hear a word of what he was saying. He wanted to shake Naruto awake, tell him he was here now.

He felt arms grasp him, pulling him up and pushing him out the door. He fought back furiously, but there were too many. He couldn't be torn away now. He might not ever see that bright smile ever again. They couldn't take him away! _Not now_!

The screaming didn't stop.

A thousand questions were running through his mind, all of them beginning with _Why?_

The voice in his head told him the same answer over and over.

_You_.

-

The silence was deafening.

He had never heard it before. There was always the music of the lapping shores, or the humming cicadas, or the warm breeze swaying through trees and grass.

Now there was nothing. Not a sound, as if the world was holding its breath.

He saw the blood, the pain wasn't there, but he saw the blood. It wasn't upsetting as he thought it might be. Instead, it was relieving, gentle.

He hoped that somebody would come find Joy before he took off his mask.

Sasuke had come in, his eyes, his mouth moving. It was an odd kind of happiness. A concluding happiness, decisive.

He was uttering words Naruto couldn't interpret, but still it made him glow from the inside.

When he heard someone calling out the window, and the petals began falling, he was starting to understand.

When Sasuke pressed his lips to his, he knew that it was over.

This was not the silencing death he had hoped for.

But it was better.

As his vision hazed and began to darken, he savoured the lips which were pressed so endearingly against his.

For the second, and last, time in his life, everything had been wonderful.

…_No…_ it had been better than wonderful.

It was _perfect_.

-

-_Author's Note_-

_**Thank you** for reading Un Bel Dei. I hope it moved you like the original storyline moved me._

-_beanielova_


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